Document-file.



N0. 669,598. V Patented Mar. l2, I90l.

' E. A. SHARP.

DUCU'MENT FILE.

(Application filed Nov. 19, 1900.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets--Sheet m; upRm: wmns cu. PnoYo-LIYHQ. WASHINGTON. n. c.

No. 669,598. Patented Mar. [2, Mil.

E. A. SHARP.

DOCUMENT FILE.

(Application filed Nuv. 19, 1900 (No Mudql.) 3 Sheats8haet 2.

No. 669,598; Patented Mar. I2, mm. E. A. SHARP.

DOCUMENT FILE.

(Application filed Nov. 19, 1900.) y no ModaL) s sheets-slum :a.

m: uonms PETERS ca. PHOTO-LITND wnsnmorou, n. c.

ATENT FFICE.

EDWARD A. SHARP, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

DOCUMENT-FILE.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 669,598, dated March 12, 1901.

Application filed November 19, 1900. Serial No. 36,998. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD A. SHARP, a citizen of the United States, residing at Uhicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Document-Files, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in files adaptable to be made and used in book form for holding letters, bills, and other documents, in which the documents filed are kept in pockets.

'One object of my invention is to provide such a file in which papers of various kinds may be securely filed away without folding or crumpling the corners thereof and in which the papers when filed shall be securely retained without danger of accidental displacement, and yet may be readily inspected and readily removed from time to time as required.

Another object is to provide such a file which shall present a smooth surface, free from obstruction, to the lower edges of papers While being inserted in the pockets.

A further object of myinvention is to provide such a file which shall be simple in construction, cheap, and durable.

The foregoing and such other objects as may hereinafter appear are attained by the devices illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figures 1, 2, and 3 represent blanks for forming different parts of my improved file. Fig. 4 represents a perspective view of my improved file with the cover thrown open and the pocket-sections closed. Fig. 5 represents a perspective View with the pocketsections open. Fig. 6 represents a horizontal section on the line 6 6 of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 represents a horizontal section on the line 7 7 of Fig. 5. Fig. 8 represents a vertical section on the line 8 8 of Fig. 5. Fig. 9 represents a vertical section on the line 9 9 of Fig. 5; and Fig. 10 is a sectional detail on the line 10 10 of Fig. 4, sh owing the manner of fastening the retain- Similar letters of reference indicate the same parts in the several figures of the drawlngs.

Referring by letter to the accompanying drawings, A is a blank, made, preferably, of heavy Manila paper or like material, to each edge of which are attached, by glue or in some similar manner, the binding-strips at. These strips may consist of separate pieces attached as indicated and upon both faces of the blank A, in which case the outer edges of said binding-strips and the outer edges of the blank A should be flush with each other, or the hind ingstrips may consist of blanks which are folded over the side edges of the blank A and are attached to the blank A on the opposite sides thereof.

B is a blank, of heavy Manila paper or the like, for forming the pockets of my file. To form these pockets, the blank B is folded on the dotted line b and over the lower edge of the blank A, so that the lower edge of the blank A shall substantially coincide with the dotted line b of the blank B, and the blank B is then sewed or otherwise attached to the blank A along the lines 1) of the blank B and a? of the blank A. An opening or space, such as 0t", having been left between the op posing surfaces of the binding-strips a and the blank A, the tabs 19 on the corners of the blank B are folded over and inserted between the binding-strips a and the blank A and are then glued, pasted, or otherwise secured at that point. Of course, if desired, the tabs 1) may be formed into gussets or accordion plaits, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, so as to form (-}X- tensible pockets.

To retain the documents in the pockets formed as above described, I provide a flap upon the upper edge of the blank A. This flap should be of sufficient stifiness and strength to retain its shape and position and to act effectively as a retaining-flap and is therefore formed as follows: The upper edge of the blank A is folded over and downwardly along the dotted line a To the opposite side of the blank Ais secured, along its upper folded edge, a separate strip or flap which projects downwardly upon one face of the blank A in a manner similar to that in which the bent-over edge of the blank A projects downwardly upon the opposite side or face of the blank A. This separate strip or flap is secured in place by staples, stitches, or some similar means of attachment, which preferably pass through the separate flap and the doubled-over upper edge of the blank A at a point slightly below the top line of the doubled-over edge of the blank A. I then fold .the blank 0 over the folded upper edge of the blank A, along the dotted line 0' of the blank 0, and fold the parts a of the blank 0 over the lower edges of the fiaps upon the opposite sides of the blank A and along the dotted lines o of the blank 0. The blank 0 is preferably secured firmly in place by gluing it to the flaps on the upper edge of the blank A,

thereby forming flaps possessing durability, stiffness, and elasticity, which may be readily lifted for the purpose of removing documents from the file, but which will readily return to place so as to retain documents from being accidentally misplaced.

It will be observed that by the construction described I provide a file in which no edges or other obstructions are offered to the insertion of papers in the pockets or their removal therefrom, in which the lower corners of the pockets may be cut away, as shown in my preferred construction, so as to avoid crumpling of the documents and afford ready accessibility thereto, which because of the numerous double edges may be made in a very durable form out of comparatively light material, and which can be constructed at slight expense.

While I have illustrated in the drawings the preferred form in which the file is made in sections containing four pockets, of course the same construction may be carried out in any number of pockets, and the file may be provided with any suitable cover. These and various other modifications will readily occur Without, however, departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A file comprising a leaf provided with pockets upon the opposite faces thereof, said pockets being formed of a blank which is folded over the lower edge of said leaf and which is formed with tabs at each corner thereof, which tabs are attached to said leaf, substantially as described.

2. A file comprising a leaf provided with pockets upon the opposite faces thereof, said pockets having their lower corners cut away and being formed of a blank which is folded over the lower edge of said leaf and which is formed with tabs at each corner thereof, which tabs are attached to said leaf, substantially as described.

, 3. A file comprising a leaf, pockets on the opposite faces thereof, said pockets being formed of a single blank folded over the lower edge of said leaf, said blank having tabs at each corner, which tabs are secured to said leaf, and a binding-strip secured to the edges of said leaf, to which said tabs are attached, substantially as described.

4. A retaining-flap for a file, consisting of a depending flap secured by stitches or staples to the edge of a leaf, and a strip folded over the outer edges of said leaf and flap and then folded over the lower free edge of said flap and glued, pasted or otherwise firmly secured in place, substantially as described.

5. In a file, a leaf and a retaining-flap comprising depending flaps on opposite sides of said leaf and secured by stitches or staples to an outer edge of said leaf, and a strip folded over the outer edges of said leaf and said flaps and also folded over the opposite edges of said flaps and suitably secured in place, substantially as described. 6. A file comprisinga leaf, pockets thereon having the bottom corners thereof open, said pockets being formed by folding over the lower edge of said leaf a blank having tabs at its corners, which tabs are attached to opposite faces of said leaf at points upon two opposite edges thereof; binding-strips attached to said opposite edges, so as to cover the portions of said tabs which are attached to said leaf; and retaining-flaps comprising flaps secured by staples or stitches to oppo site sides of said leaf at the upper edge thereof and having a reinforcing and binding strip folded over the upper edges of said leaf and flap and also folded over the lower edges of said flaps and suitably secured in place, substantially as described.

7. A blank for forming file-pockets, comprising a body portion, tabs at the four corners thereof, and a cut-away portion in the middle thereof, substantially as described.

ED WARD A. SHARP.

Witnesses:

O. R. BARNETT, M. E. SHIELDS. 

